Can anyone please give details of how to connect the boost control kit into a MY93 WRX. I was told it was a straight forward fit, but after several hours of trying, am pulling the last of my hair out.
I have the 3 bar map sensor fitted and and the apexi boost control solenoid. The car runs but the solenoid is clicking full chat whenever there is load on the motor. At idle it doesn't. The commander shows -721 boost and this never changes, yet my mechanical boost gauge shows the boost level rising. Help please!

 

do you mean the AVC-R?

 

i take it this is onto a PowerFC ?
if so, have you enabled it on the commander ? (in ETC menu)
power off/on and try it.

 

No John, its the boost control kit that comes without the avc-r. I have enabled it on the commander but to be honest, i'm not sure i've fitted it right.

The solenoid has 3 ports. One has no insert and vents to atmo. The "com" port connects to the wastegate outlet. The "NO" port to the turbo outlet nipple. I have soldered the connector from the new loom (supplied with the kit), to the existing engine loom.

The map sensor is mounted with the pressure nipple pointing downwards. This is connected to the brown plastic pressure sensor by a short vacuum pipe. This sensor is still wired into the existing loom.
The wires from the map sensor have also been connected into the existing loom. The connections I have done are (new loom clour first) red- Red+green trace, Green- Yellow+green trace, Black-Yellow+Black trace.

Have I done right or should I have just taken the new pieces of loom through the bulkhead and connected to the ecu?

 

very confused. how have you connected this new sensor ? just onto the wires of the old sensor and left the old sensor in place too ?

if so, then no, dont think that will work...

never seen the instructions for the boost kit.

 

The old sensor is removed. I had to solder in the connectors for the new sensors as the new ones are different from the standard loom.

The main problem is that the instructions are in Japanese and don't actually show a layout for a GC8 Impreza.

 

with my AVCR you have to connect the sensor vacuum hose direct to the plenum. It sounds like you have connected the sensor vacuum hose to the OEM atmos/boost switchover solonoid, so its not seeing the plenum presure.

Try connecting the sensor vac hose direct to the plenum, bypassing the extra OEM solonoid and see if that works.

 

I'll try that John.

 

I tried that John and it makes no difference. I have now also used the supplied map sensor "loom" that goes directly into the ecu, and that makes no real difference either. Now got a static -32mm/hg in the boost section, and my mechanical gauge still moves up. Ever get one of those "Why do I bother?" feelings?

 

yep.

There is a sensor voltage check function in the Power FC software, have you had a look at that?

Be careful with boost right now as you have no control over it via the ECU.

 

Its OK John the cars garaged until I get it sorted, or put it back to stock!

 

ok, on the PFC there is a extra connector for the boost control kit on the side of the ecu near the commander port. is that where the solenoid plugs in ?

where / what does this extra loom do/plug into ? its for the new MAP sensor yeah?
I take it you then have to change the MAP sensor type in the ECU (from 1 - GC8 ?)

As John has suggested, the voltage should vary when you blip the throttle. putting a meter on the end of the output wire will tell you if its working as it should be. thats assuming the wiring is correct !?

if all else fails, put the OEM MAP sensor back in and make sure the boost solenoid works. you will just have the same boost limit due to the sensor. that will eliminate 1/2 of it. (if you can do that with the kit ?)

cheers
Steve

 

Steve, I think you may have something there. The wiring for the MAP sensor does plug into the side of the ecu. I haven't changed the MAP sensor type in the commander (I did activate the boost control kit. Is that what you mean?) The CEL was on and I checked the sensor check function and the "boost1" setting was reading 5v and was highlighted black, which I assume is an error.

 

not sure what you need to change it too, but 5v is wrong which ever sensor you have plugged in ! it shouldnt be that high ! I would go back and check the wiring with a multimeter with it not connected to anything to check 5v , ground. then connect it back to oem to check signal (&voltage in the commander). then try the 3bar.
do the instructions not even hint what to change in the commander ? as numbers are the same over there

 

Nope can't make head nor tail of them. Totally Japanese and unreadable!

 

the english instructions are at http://www.spipowerexcel.com/pdfs/fc_commander_fd3s.pdf

 

IIRC, the last car I fitted one of these to, we used the new loom supplied, plugged one end into the PFC. One of the trailing ends plugged into the new MAP sensor supplied with the kit. The air signal from this should come from the plenum (pre exchange solenoid)
The other trailing end we chopped the plug off and connected up to the OE 3port solenoid (95 car) and that was it.
The new sensor reads as boost 2, the OE sensor reads as boost 1, if you check "Boost control kit" The ECU will read from the new sensor.

Andy

 

Andy are you saying that the loom should be Y shaped? I have two looms in my kit. One that is a 2 pin connector type for the 3port and a 3 pin connector type for the MAP sensor.

 

THE POWER OF SCOOBYNET DOES IT AGAIN!

Got it sorted finally. I had the vacuum hose in the wrong place ie connected to the exchange solenoid no the MAP sensor. I still had a CEL though and couldn't understand why it was coming from Boost1. It was a static 5v. I didn't realise that the old MAP sensor has to be still in the standard loom ieconnected up (I had left it unconnected). I have changed the PFC to read from the boost control kit and all seems well.

Many thanks to John, ScoobyDuck and Andy. In future I think i'll stick to the greasy bits of Imprezas, they're much easier to understand!

 

better lick on your next "rally" outing...................make sure he keeps it on the island..............

alyn

 

Cheers Alyn. We'll certainly be trying to! Did you see any pics on the "other" forum? I've got a couple with your name on if you want a copy.

 

Just got up from nightshift Mark, glad to hear you've sorted it out cos you sounded gutted last night when I phoned.

 

never saw those..................would be interested in a 'link'...............
thanks
alyn

 

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=410711

There you go Alyn.